The class of linear alternating polymers of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon is now well known in the art. Such polymers are broadly represented by the repeating formula ##STR1## wherein A is a moiety derived from at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon polymerized through the ethylenic unsaturation thereof.
A number of processes are known for producing such polymers which are now conventionally referred to as polyketones or polyketone polymers. The process typically involves the use of a catalyst composition formed from a compound of a Group VIII metal selected from palladium, cobalt or nickel, the anion of a strong non-hydrohalogenic acid and a bidentate ligand of phosphorus, nitrogen or sulfur. Van Broekhoven et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,843,144 and 4,880,903, describe process for polyketone production which use catalyst compositions formed from, inter alia, bidentate phosphorus ligands. Similar processes using bidentate ligands of nitrogen are shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,851,582 and processes using bidentate sulfur ligands are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,341.
The nature of the polyketone polymerization process is variable. The above van Broekhoven et al. patents employ a catalyst composition which is substantially homogeneous and soluble in the reaction media which includes a reaction diluent. Such reactions are liquid phase. A slurry-phase reaction is described by copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 716,487, filed Jun. 17, 1991, wherein the catalyst is produced by reaction of the catalyst composition with a heterogeneous carrier. Gas-phase processes conducted in the substantial absence of liquid reaction diluent are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,778,876 and 4,806,630.
In the liquid-phase processes or slurry-phase processes the polyketone polymer product is obtained as a material substantially insoluble in the reaction medium. The use of gas-phase processes provides benefits in that filtration or centrifugation steps are not typically required in order to recover the polymer product. It would be of advantage to provide an additional gas-phase process for the production of linear alternating polymer of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon.